He shares our childhood memories

"Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled....To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time."

My brother who could be SEEN but hardly heard, one who went about his ways, in his own special way. He makes us feel all puffed up when we see him grow and grow he did on all sides though. For all the pinches and punches he withstood, the elder sister standing tall to bully and ready to ambush. Pushing him to the far end of the family spectrum, 'cos he was small and young...giving him the odd chair on the dining table. He took it in his stride and let us into his world. He grew up and we left those skinny two legs behind, we search for them high and low, but we found in its place a bean bag to envelop and warm our souls..he's our brother, round and tall...he's there for us cordless or not..we love him just as he is, and we are proud...he's the only one who can be called "MY LOVING BROTHER" love

For my brother who means the world to me...HAPPY RAKHI

Revival?

As evening descended a familiar feel to the day took place. The lights brightened, the lamps were lit, all arrangements were checked many times over to receive the many guests who would arrive at our house, for the haldi kumkum event.

It was the Varalakshmi pooja and it was being celebrated in a very traditional way. The pooja being done in the morning, the evening was set aside, for the ladies who would come in bringing their smiles, their finery, their lovely silks and of course a lot of gossip too.
The main topic of discussion would weave its path from hot topics like which saree was the latest in pattern, to who had made the best prasad.

This year, we had a double bonus in the form of ‘Go Green’. Some of the ladies had brought in their huge bags to take home the bounty from the various houses they would visit. It was so heartening to see this awareness, because invariably they would ask for a plastic bag to take home the many cups, coconuts etc from all their visits.

It also took me back to the time, when we as kids would wait with curious breaths..for such occasions,…The colony where we lived, organized a small recital of VishnuSahasranam every Thursday , Each week it would be held in a different house. As kids we were not so much into religion, we were interested in meeting our friends, passing our time running around and of course trying to figure out what the prasad for that day would be. If it was in the house of ‘prasad choice’ , we had to troop in before the aarathi or else the glares we would get from our fathers or other elderly people in the gathering would make us run for dear lives. So it had to be at the appropriate time, time enough to be part of the recital, but not early enough to get bored out of our guts.. I remember there was this particular verse which would mean the last part was nearly close. It was the “ Vanamali gathi shaangi”….(for those who know this , will understand what i'm saying here )our well trained ears would catch hold of that word , and in we would file in, silent, sly and smug. Loud enough for the parents to hear our devotion, we would sing the last few verses with utmost precision ( of course we had been reciting just that for so many weeks, we had to be perfect at it ).

Then the time would come for the distribution of prasad…the much awaited part of the day. It was fun, the anticipation, the repeated requests for more, the patience we developed, just to eat what we loved the most. These small , simple events of our lives interspersed with so many bigger ones, it overlapped and then slowly got absorbed. Not knowing how, I realized, I have learnt most of the traditions, all handed down through subtle methods, none forced on us reluctant kids. No amount of persuasion can bring a bored child to smile, when he/s she is made to sit through something they don’t like. But they do learn by watching as they grow and this was obviously what our parents excelled at, without making it obvious.

Sadly kids nowadays hardly have time to absorb such niceties. They are more interested in their psp's, games, etc. :( I’m not saying it should be made compulsory. But traditions would die a peaceful death if it were not for such methods. If it means the kids get to eat their favourite sweet, only on such days, I’m sure they would wait with more interest…and relish it all the more. I’ve been trying to follow this too….tried never to force my kids to do something, but made it interesting enough for them to watch, got them to help around with the arrangements, invited their friends over so they have company and just let them be…
I’m hoping one day it will help pass on traditions and culture which Indians are so rich in.

Its very gladdening to say, that now after all these years, years of having lived in far off lands away from these old culture pots...the very same "prasada eating only" kids, have decided to facilitate the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi...and when my father spoke to me about it, I could hear so much pride in his voice...he was proud of his many children who had withstood all the glares only for this...

:D

Where in the world did I lose the thinking part of my system???

Strangely my mind which rattles off words at million words in a second, speaks faster than even that..the system which can conjure unimaginable abilities to chat up, wonder where the ability to pen down those very same thoughts go!!

Those months ago...( 2 years now since I started blogging!! ) when I started to blog, I remember stepping out of the house, and being impatient to get back. You wonder why? Don't!! I would have seen, heard or wondered a million things and everything had to be sent out to the world in the form of the post...and was I successful, oh Yes!!! I enjoyed it. I would wait to see how the post sounded, or sometimes would worry, if I would be thought crazy if I blogged twice in a day!! I did that too...but I loved it. I never thought if it was ok to post about this or that!!!

Now forward life to 24 months hence...and i'm sitting waiting for people to pass by, thoughts to dance across and sometimes I do read about something and think hmmm this should go into some lines of a post...but all of a sudden it disappears :(.

There are times when I think "Oh ! but they already know about this" ,cos I've managed to meet and get to know many of the bloggers...and it has been so fulfiiling...( hey!! now don't go away thinking this a 'vote of thanks'....i'm still here...and here to stay...)

Just went through a very 'brainnumb phase' thats it....now i'm hoping to get back to writing....and more writing... :)...yes there will be times when you'll tear your hair out and say arrrgggg, Praaaaats...mad woman...but I assure you, I still remember each and every one of you...and i'm coming back to stalk you :D

Hello!!! Is it me you are looking for???

It was way back in the 80’s when my parents decided to own a telephone…yep before that very few had the privilege. It was a mindset, I’m sure. When my dad said “ There is no need, for one, we have managed pretty well so far” …The kids and the women’s faces fell…chin nearly dropping to the ground. Such was the effect then. But of course we did manage to get one eventually and of course, the need was very much there.
Right from calling up the inlaws at sharp 8 in the morning to find out if they had finished their coffee (hmmppfff, for old timers 8 is breakfast time…coffee has been digested eons ago…), to finding out if his school friend had managed to get admission for his son to informing the borther-in-law that their documents were not in order…yes, My dad did indeed not have the need !!! We always knew the phone was not for us to look at even during that morning phase…
It’s a long way from then….

The endless wearing down of the carpet, to make sure the phone was kept properly in its position, ‘cos it hadn’t rung in nearly and hour…the countless cleaning of the instrument with soap solution..( I’ve also used dettol sometimes to clean it up) The crisp laced cover to keep it dustfree and whatnot free !!!, the small wooly support mat underneath…yes it had it all….
We used to have some fun moments too…wrong numbers, funny voices and of course lots of prank calls…

The funny gurgling sound it made while the numbers were being rotated …which at times would be irritating( whenever we needed to make those discreet calls and mom was around) it had its great days.
But amidst all this I remember, most calls would be answered with the caller asking for the person he/she wanted to talk to…sometimes even confirming the number.

But as days went on….I answered calls that went like this
Caller :“ Do you have poster paper in flouroscent yellow?” ( no hello, whatever!!)
Me : Yes, I have 10 will it be enough ( we were in the midst of submission so it was normal for friends to call and ask around for sheets and stationery)
Caller : How much is it going to cost? ( huh!!! )
Me : silence ( I was stunned)
Will you be open till 8 today?
Me : some more silence
Me : hmmm….open? which number did you want?
Caller : …… stationery, isn’t it? ( The popular stationery mart for architects then and my namesake too)
Hmppfffff…..and it was one of my juniors in agony ‘cos next day was submission….

Years have gone by, but stress, rushed time and errors haven’t changed one bit.

The telephone still exists with lots of high tech options- caller id, etc, etc…
So when I received this clal this morning, I saw the number and realized it was the intercom and it came from the floor my inlaws apartment is located. So concerned( ‘cos they aren’t in station, I picked up the call….hoping there was no emergency.
Caller : hello, I’m calling from ….i’m on the 16th floor
Me : Yes
Caller : I’m having someone come over now
Me: yes
Caller: could you please send them up?
Me : huh!!! ( doing, doing….whack, grrrrr) I think you need to call the gate security, you have gotten a residence. You can dial XYZ for that.
Caller : beep, beep, silence….

I agree I live on the ground floor, I agree I can see who comes into my block, I also agree I’m a very talkative person…but I ‘DO NOT DOUBLE UP AS SECURITY’
Will someone please understand????
There are days when I feel that the script for my life has been written by Salvador Dali or someone who has spent some time being suffocated by his clothes. (Once Dali almost died because his head was in a goldfish bowl and his breathing apparatus malfunctioned.) This was one of those days.


ps: I wholeheartedly accept that the title is inspired from Lionel Richie song ...but so what??!!!

Did I ever??

I dont need a day to express what I feel for my dad,

I hardly try...I just do.

He's a special person and will always remain so

Here's a few lines i'd like to say to him

Did I ever thank you enough?
For all the times
When I was in my pigtails
Running down the rails

Did I ever thank you enough?
For the times
You held my gaze and smiled on
Not holding me back
But watching me grow

Did I ever thank you enough?
For those silent words
You sent across
Taught us to respect
And face the world

Did I ever thank you enough?
For all those wonderful moments
When my friends were made to feel
loved and respected
which for me was a very big deal!!

Did I ever thank you enough?
For guiding me too
For lending me those
little words of wisdom
that still sees me through

Did I ever thank you enough?
For showing me that
There’s more to life than what we see
That there’s laughter and happiness
And it is for us to feel.

Did I ever thank you enough?
For those beautiful cards
The ones you wrote so neatly
Letters flowed and I knew
There was much love in it.

Did I ever thank you enough
For making me what I am
For making me stronger
And making me see
That there’s more to discipline
And it is not just a need

Did I ever thank you enough
For the wonderful life
I have tried building
With all the snippets I watched
Unseen and unheard
But nevertheless handed down to me!

Thank you dad!
For just being you

You will always be dear to me

and I shall ever love you!!

For all the dads out here, i'd love to Wish you too...for the wonderful job you'll are doing at keeping the kids moist eyed and so precious for years to come. We love you, just the way you are!!!

Happy Father's Day!!!!

This songs for you

Blogg'ui- a state of being

Preethi from here, had to do it. Get me out of the doldrums and keep me going…Like she mentioned, its been ages ( 2 months is pretty long don’t you think for a blogger) since I wrote anything. No reasons whatsoever. It was plain blogui ( laziness to put into words in the blog what I thought and felt) . There were many times, I’d sit down and start and then catch myself in another domain altogether : either chatting away, or surfing or just plain working.

Well coming back to the task at hand…PS tagged me ( I’m sure there are somemore in the hidden corners of others blogs…I’ll take time now and go through all my unread blogs and get back ). She did a great job there, so maybe you should just read mine with less excitement, ‘cos its just plain and regular.

She’s asked me to list out 5 things about myself…That’s a tough task for me..and that too , to get out of this vacant phase…but still its a good one…at least I’ll introspect and get those cobwebs out of that mind of mine.

So here it goes.....

I love people. And this ability of mine makes me a better person at accepting them for the way they are, with all their faults and goodness. I never judge anyone hurriedly, nor will I stand back and wait for the other to be friends. I do my best to be a friend. Everyway possible...listen, talk, help, be there for them, smile with them, cry with them, get foolish with them........

I am a very 100% person. If I can’t give my 100% in a task, I try not to take it up. I’m selfish that way…’cos I tend to get very stressed when I do take up something, and then not find time to complete it, so I work hard at keeping up to my commitments. It has worked against me many times, where I juggle with millions of tasks at a time, all because of what I believe in , but I have this immense satisfaction when I complete all of them .

I don’t get bored very easily. If I’m in a situation where I’m forced to wait endlessly, I’ll find myself something to do in the meanwhile. If I’m not carrying a book, I can watch people and just observe. I can just BE. So if anyone were to come and apologize for making me wait, I’ll just tell them, that they need not stress, cos I was enjoying myself. Try it, its fun. Don’t just sit there and whine about being held up…but watch people round you, watch the traffic and form your opinions…watch the ants on the sidewalk…but watch, observe ,enjoy and smile.,…

I love eating. I’m game to trying out any kind of food. I’m a foodie, and it shows on my face. Good food, and you’ll see me enjoying it and appreciating it thoroughly. This makes me very non-fussy..You can invite me over and give me whatever…I wont complain. I know this is a good trait, ‘cos I also know how it feels when a guest gets fussy and makes noises when invited for some meal.

Oooof!!! I am not good at talking about myself…so these few were very exhausting on my brains…I’ll leave the last pointer to you’ll…let me know what you think about me..i’ll gather those thoughts and smile through..

And with all the excitement I forgot to tag others... :P

So maybe these lovely people will take it up and let me know about themselves..

Madhumita ( She's such a warm person...and it would be nice to know her some more )

Shruthi ( She's on the marathon and also very pissed and maybe I can help her a bit )

xh : He's no more a lonewolf now, and maybe the partner needs to know him more now...)

preethi from Incessant Musings ( Let's give her a break from Cheeky shall we?? )

rayshma : (Its been ages and I want to know some more)